Whitstable bowed out of the Kent Senior Cup with their heads held high as they held on for 89 minutes before Ebbsfleet United secured the victory.

The first half belonged to Ebbsfleet who were playing six of the team that played on Saturday with the rest on the bench showing that Steve Brown was taking the competition seriously.

In the 3^rd minute Anthony Cook on the left saw his cross come back of the crossbar with Luke Watkins beaten, then in the 6^th minute a ball to the edge of the area found Daryl McMahon whose delicate chip went just wide of the post.

Whitstable’s first half chance of the game came in the 10^th minute when Scott Heard received the ball 25 yards out turned & shot but it went over the bar.

In the 14^th minute Michael West was put in on goal but he delayed his shot & then hit the side netting.  Five minutes later McMahon on the left crossed to West whose shot from six yards was saved by Watkins legs.

Ten minutes later Cook on the left cut inside & his shot from 20 yards was pushed around the post by Watkins.

Ebbsfleet thought they had taken the lead in the 29^th minute when a corner to the back post saw Yado Mambo’s goal bound header cleared off the line by Craig McGuire.

The home side continued to press & in the 33^rd minute they nearly scored a fortuitous goal when McMahon ‘s block tackle on Laurence Harvey saw the ball go towards the top left hand corner but Watkins was alert & tipped it over the bar.

In the very next minute Whitstable on the break nearly scored when Heard battling for the ball saw his chipped effort force Brandon Hall to push over the bar.

Two minutes later & Ebbsfleet scored when Chris Sessegnon passed to Ben May in the six yard box & he controlled it before turning & shooting home.

It nearly was two when in the 44^th minute McMahon threaded the ball through for Alex Osborn to chase & Watkins came rushing out & tipped the ball away for a corner.

The second half started with Whitstable going forward & in the 48^th minute a long ball out of defence by Harvey found Heard on the left & his low cross just evaded Mark Murrison’s lunge.

In the 58^th minute May running into the area saw his shot saved by Watkins. Two minutes later a Cook free kick curled around the wall forced Watkins to push it around the post.

Whitstable were now starting to believe that they could get back into the game & in the 70^th minute a corner into the area fell to Joe Kane & his shot was saved by Hall, then six minutes later Ashley Baverstock 20 yards out turned & shot just over the bar, a minute later a long diagonal ball found Murrison who passed to Baverstock & his shot from 18 yards was tipped over the bar by Hall.

The visitors were still believing they could get back into the game with Ebbsfleet relying on breakaways & then the killer moment came in the 89^th minute when Billy Bricknell passed to May whose shot was saved by Watkins legs & cleared but the ball came back to Bricknell who went into the area & shot past Watkins.

The final whistle went & Whitstable can take a lot of positives out of the game as they did not capitulate when Ebbsfleet scored & in the second half had Steve Brown’s men worried for a time.

Ebbsfleet now go forward to the final at Priestfield Stadium in May.

WHITSTABLE TOWN:

1. L.WATKINS  2. J.KANE (71)  3. C.McGUIRE (64) 4. S.HAFNER  5. L.HARVEY  6. D.WELLS  7. S.HEARD

8. D.KEYTE  9. M.MURRISON  10. J.WELLS  11. J.McKENZIE  (64)

SUBS USED:  12. A.BAVERSTOCK (64)  14. C.SMITH (64)  16. B.TAYLOR (71)

SUBS NOT USED: 15. O.BROWN  20. M.BYOTT

BOOKED: 12. A.BAVERSTOCK (83)

 

EBBSFLEET UNITED:

1. B.HALL  2.C.SESSEGNON  3. J.HOWE  4. D.McMAHON (78) 5. P.LORRAINE  6. Y.MAMBO (73)  7. A.OSBORN (73)

8.M.CORCORAN  9. B.MAY  10. M.WEST  11. A.COOK

SUBS USED:  12. O.SNKOFA (73)  14. D.RANCE (78)  16. B.BRICKNELL (73)

SUBS NOT USED: 13. P.EDWARDS  15. A.PALMER

REFEREE:  Mr M. McKOY

ASSISTANTS:  Mr T.BURMAN & Mr K.MAY

ATTENDANCE: 379